Nearly three decades ago The Washington Post assigned their first “local” reporter to a beat focused on “transportation.” A number of us worked with John Lancaster to help him learn the territory, understand the land-use / transportation connection and the role of transport in evolving what we now call functional human settlement patterns made up of Balanced Communities in sustainable New Urban Regions.
John did a fine job and was just rounding into becoming a knowledgeable player in a reasoned approach to mobility and access when he called to report he had been “promoted” to Anapolis.
“No, no, John transportation is a regional issue.”
“I know but my new assignment is Maryland politics, it is the only way I can get a promotion.”
So ended a promising start. John now reports from the far corners of the globe. Those who have followed him with the transportation portfolio have stayed for longer or shorter times. Our files indicate there have been at least 21 reporters who have called to say they were covering transportation. Some are still with WaPo covering other topics, some are not.
If one includes the broader field of “development” there are more than 50 WaPo folders in our current and dead files. Only a few ever stayed long enough to ask intelligent questions about human settlement patterns before they moved on, or out.
Now it has happened again. Alec MacGillis who, as readers of this Blog know, had gained an understanding of current transportation and land use issues has been “promoted” to “national politics.”
In other words, Mr. MacGillis has been “Lancastered.” The more important, the largest media outlet in the National Capital Subregion and the general public have been Landcastrated.
The practice of Landcasterazation leaves editors who know just what the publisher likes to see covered in full charge of what and how land-use / transportation issues are reported. Human settlement pattern issues are not rocket science, they are far more complex. Throwing a promising young journalist into the pot is bad, sending them on just when they begin to learn some of the complexity undermines the ability of the Fourth Estate to fulfill its obligation to society.
The checks and balances of traditional journalism require both knowledgeable reporters and bottom-line focused publishers with editors striking a balance. When reporters have to rely on he said / she regurgitation of vested interests, the region loses.
The loss of MacGillis is especially critical right now. An informed decision on a tunnel or an elevated METRO extension to Reston / Dulles / Eastern Loudoun is critical. All citizens of the Subregion will hear about are the views of those who have a dog in the fight:
The governor and politicians who want to be able to say they “solved the problem,” and
Land owners, their agents and proxies who would not profit as much from what may be the best long term solution.
We will be exploring this issue further in an upcoming column.
EMR